AI-generated videos have become the "traffic ace," and Meta AI downloads have also surged

AI-generated videos are rapidly becoming a key to attracting users, and Meta seems to have gained an advantage in the fierce competition of AI applications with this "traffic ace."

According to the latest data from market intelligence provider Similarweb, after the launch of the AI short video platform "Vibes," user data for the Meta AI mobile application saw a significant surge. As of October 17, the daily active users (DAU) on both iOS and Android platforms had jumped to 2.7 million, up from around 775,000 just four weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the app's download momentum is also strong. Data shows that Meta AI is currently seeing an additional 300,000 downloads per day, far exceeding the less than 200,000 downloads a few weeks ago. Looking at a longer time frame, this growth is even more astonishing: on October 17, 2024, the app's average daily downloads were only 4,000.

This growth closely coincides with the launch of the AI short video platform "Vibes" within the Meta AI app on September 25. Although Similarweb noted that its data model did not capture significant impacts from search or advertising, the strong correlation between the launch of "Vibes" and user growth provides robust data support for the argument of "AI video-driven traffic."

This trend has had a direct impact on the market landscape. While Meta AI's user base surged, some of its major competitors faced user attrition.

Data shows that on October 17, daily active users for ChatGPT, Grok, and Perplexity recorded declines of 3.51%, 7.35%, and 2.29%, respectively, while Meta AI grew against the trend by 15.58%.

Meta Launches Vibes Platform, Enters AI Video Market

On September 25, Meta announced the integration of the AI video creation platform Vibes into the Meta AI app, allowing users to create, discover, and share short video content.

According to Meta's introduction, users browsing the Vibes feed will see AI-generated videos from different creators and communities. As usage time increases, the recommendations in this feed will become more personalized.

When users discover content they are interested in, they can choose to create secondary content directly. Videos can be published directly in the Vibes feed, sent via private message to friends, or cross-posted to Instagram and Facebook with one click, greatly enhancing the potential exposure and viral spread of AI content

Did Competitor Sora Unexpectedly "Assist"?

In addition to its own product iterations, the growth of Meta AI may also indirectly benefit from the strategies of its competitors. Recently, OpenAI's video generation model Sora has sparked market discussions, with its application briefly topping the App Store charts and attracting a large number of eager users.

Analysis from Similarweb suggests two possibilities. First, the heightened attention to AI video generation technology ignited by Sora may prompt some users to actively seek out and try similar products, including Meta AI, for feature comparisons.

Secondly, Sora's current "invitation-only" strategy may inadvertently create opportunities for competitors. Users who cannot obtain trial access to Sora may turn to other openly available alternatives for their experience